Ms. Vaughan's Blog

Vaughan's Voice - October 6, 2008

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Thank you so much for attending conferences!

If you did not turn in the permission slip for the water treatment plant, it is due back by October 10^th.

Last day to vote for the Stargate Governance Board is Monday, Oct. 6th by 6 p.m.

TEST: I will be sending home a study guide for the first chapter on Colorado history. The students will have to locate Colorado and the states that touch Colorado, the Four Corners, the four main corridor cities (Ft. Collins, Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo), and five major rivers (Colorado, Yampa, Rio Grande, South Platte River, and Arkansas).THE TEST WILL BE ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17^TH.

If you need a copy it will be under my documents on my blog.

What we did last week in theme:

Finished up the three states of matter
Watched a movie on the water cycle

Upcoming:

· Mrs. Amos will be talking to us about respect and the STARR values

· Finish up the water cycle and take notes on precipitation, condensation, evaporation, transpiration, accumulation

· Learn about the principles of water: cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, and capillary action and do some experiments related to these

· Paint our 3-d maps of Colorado

IMPORTANT DATES:

Field trip to the water treatment plant
Test on Colorado – Friday, October 17th

Vaughan's Voice - September 29, 2008

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Please check your child’s Monday folder for the time of your conference. We did our very best to give everyone their first choice for preferred date and time.

There will be a permission slip for the water treatment plant in the Monday folder. It is due back by October 10^th.

Please take some time to look at the Stargate website for information on the election for the Stargate Governance Board. It is very important that we get all parents to vote! Information on how and when to vote will be in the sent home Monday.

What we did last week in theme:

Steps to the Scientific process
Experiment on how matter takes up space
Made ice cream to talk about the states of matter and how molecules are much closer together in solids vs. liquids and gases
Major rivers and rivers basins of Colorado
Made 3-d models of landforms of Colorado (we will paint and label these the week after next)
Cursive

Upcoming:

Water cycle

IMPORTANT DATES:

Sept. 29^th 7:00 p.m. – Meet and Greet the candidates running for the Board
October 1^st – 3^rd – Conferences – ½ day on Wednesday and no school on Thursday and Friday

Vaughan's Voice - September 22, 2008

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMT

There are two very important forms in today’s Monday folder. The first is a conference form. This must be returned by Wednesday, September 24^thin order for us to give you your preferable time and day. Conferences are on Oct. 1^st -3^rd. The second form is a homework assignment for theme. In order for us to make our 3-d maps, your child must bring in a baggie with a salt dough mixture by Thursday. The homework assignment and recipe is in your child’s Monday folder. Also, if your child did not bring in a 7” X 7” piece of heavy duty cardboard last week, please have them bring it in as soon as possible.

We had a good time at Dinosaur Ridge. The students were on their best behavior. Ask them about the dinosaur fossils and footprints that we saw. Thank you very much to the volunteers that attended the field trip.

What we did last week in theme:

Looked at Colorado’s landscape and how it has changed over millions of years to prepare for the field trip to Dinosaur Ridge
Water – molecules and atoms and the structure of water
Cursive

Upcoming:

States of matter
Scientific process
3-d model of Colorado

IMPORTANT DATES:

7” X 7” cardboard due on September 22^nd
Conference form due September 24^th
Salt dough mixture due September 25^th
- Recipe:
  - 2 cups of flour
  - 1 cup table salt
  - 2 tbsp. Cooking oil
  - 3/4 cup of water
  - Mix flour and salt together in a bowl. Add the oil to the water. Pour the water mixture slowly into the flour mixture, mixing it with your hands until it becomes soft and doughy. The dough needs to be the consistency of “playdough” that you buy in the store and should NOT stick to your hands. If the dough is too sticky, mix in a bit more flour. Put in a ziplock bag with your child’s name on it.

October 1^st – 3^rd - Conferences

Vaughan's Voice - September 15, 2008

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Thank you so much for attending Curriculum night. I love to see parents so involved with their child’s education. If I wasn’t able to answer your questions or you have any concerns, please email or call me. Conferences are coming up on Oct. 1-3.

This Thursday, September 18^this the field trip to Dinosaur Ridge. Please remember to pack a sack lunch for your child.

Next week we will be making a 3-D model of Colorado’s landforms. Please have your child bring in a 7” X 7” piece of heavy duty cardboard by Monday, September 22^nd.

What we did last week in theme:

Colorado History – learned the landforms (plains, mountains, plateaus, and mountain parks)
Cursive

Upcoming:

· Look at Colorado’s landscape and how it has changed over millions of years to prepare for the field trip to Dinosaur Ridge

· Water – molecules and atoms and the structure of water

IMPORTANT DATES:

September 18^th – Dinosaur Ridge field trip
September 19^th – NO SCHOOL, teacher work day
October 1^st – 3^rd - Conferences

Vaughan's Voice - September 8, 2008

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMT

It was another fantastic week! We are getting along well and having lots of fun.

Curriculum night is this Wednesday, September 10^th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. It is very important for you to attend. This will give you a chance to meet your child’s homeroom, math, and literacy teachers. They will explain their rules and procedures, and the curriculum that will be taught this year.

The transition to switching for literacy and math classes went well. Please remember that your child may be moved to another class if we decide he/she would be a better fit in that class. We are doing our best to make sure your child will be challenged, but not overwhelmed.

Our first field trip is on Thursday, September 18^thfrom 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We will be going to Dinosaur Ridge. Permission slips were sent out last Monday. If you didn’t get one, please let me know and I will send home another one. It needs to be turned in as soon as possible.

What we did last week in theme:

Colorado History – shared our artifacts. It was so interesting to hear about the students’ family history.
Cursive
Water – learned about snowpack and watersheds; took notes

Upcoming:

Colorado History – learn the landforms (plains, mountains, plateaus, and mountain parks) and the major rivers of Colorado
Water – molecules and atoms and the structure of water

IMPORTANT DATES:

September 10^th – Curriculum night 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
September 12^th – picture day
September 13^th (all day) – Founders Conference
September 13^th (6 p.m. – 9 p.m.) Dinner and Square Dance
September 18^th – Dinosaur Ridge field trip

Vaughan's Voice - September 2, 2008

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:00:00 GMT

We are finally finished with our ERB and placement testing! The students were wonderful throughout all of this. It is really tough to take so many tests during the first two weeks of school.

We will begin our literacy and math classes on Tuesday. We ask that you PLEASE give us a couple of weeks to get a feel for your child and his/her literacy and math skills. Keep in mind that your child may be switched to another class if we find that he/she is a better fit in that class.

Our first field trip is on Thursday, September 18^thfrom 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. We will be going to Dinosaur Ridge. The permission will be in the Monday folder and should be returned by September 5^th.

Any parent who would like to volunteer in any capacity at Stargate will be asked to sign a FERPA form regarding confidentiality. This form is in the Monday folder and should be returned as soon as possible.

What we did last week:

ERB and placement tests
Colorado History – learned the state symbols, landforms, and began talking about why our past is so important
learned how to use a map
team building games
class book of “bad ideas”
water unit – learned the percentage of salt water and fresh water on the Earth
cursive – a, d, g, q

Upcoming:

presentations of students’ artifacts for Colorado History
more cursive
water – where it is found and where does it come from, watersheds, aquifiers, snowpack, reservoirs

IMPORTANT DATES:

September 4^th – Artifact homework due
September 5^th– Permission slip for Dinosaur Ridge due

September 10^th – Back to School night 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
September 13^th (all day) – Founders Conference
September 13^th (6 p.m. – 9 p.m.) Dinner and Square Dance
September 18^th – Dinosaur Ridge field trip

Vaughan's Voice - August 25, 2008

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:00:00 GMT

It’s been so fun getting to know all of your children! I can already tell we are going to have a fantastic year.

Coming up next week:

· Colorado history – learning the state symbols and the four life zones

· Water and the states of matter

· More placement tests and ERB tests

· More getting to know you activities

What did this past week:

· Much time was spent setting up our classroom: learning the procedures, handing out jobs, setting up rules, learning the consequences if the rules are broken

· ERB tests and placement tests

· Cursive letters: i, t, e and good cursive posture

· Finished up our “WANTED” posters

· Colorado history scavenger hunt

· Truth or lie game – ask your child about this

· Read aloud chapters from the Sideways Stories From Wayside School

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Curriculum Night for 3/4 parents will be on September 10^th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This is for parents only. After we have placed students, a note will be sent home informing you of your child’s literacy and math teachers so you will know who to visit during this time.

From our librarian, Mrs. McPherson:

The Used Media Sale (paperbacks, a quarter; hardbacks, etc, fifty cents) will end on Wednesday, August 27.

The Founders Conference is on Saturday, September 13th. You can view the schedule on-line on the planning wiki: http://stargatefoundersconference.wikispaces.com/Conference+Schedule. In addition to the educational seminar during the day, there will be an all-school celebration dinner and square dance, with local caller Charlie Robertson. Registration information will be on-line next week. I will be happy to answer any other questions.

Vaughan's Voice - August 18, 2008

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Welcome back!

It was great to see students and parents on Meet the Teacher night last Thursday. I am looking forward to a fantastic year!

What to expect the first week of school:

Fun activities to get to know each other.
Procedures and rules for the classroom.
Testing so that we can begin literacy and math classes as soon as possible.
Third grade students will begin to learn cursive and fourth grade students will review and practice cursive.
Colorado history and water units will be started.

Please email or call me if you have any questions or comments. My email is colleen.vaughan@adams12.org.